This is the movie that precedes the legendary story told in Alien, from 1979. Expectations are sky high and it takes more than a new twist on the same theme. Noomi Rapace plays a British (!) researcher who sets off to a distant galaxy to find the answer to where we humans come from. And why we were created. Because there have been archaeological findings suggesting that humans were created by aliens, rather than randomly by the evolution. She believes in God but has a greater curiosity. The expedition is financed by a man who is afraid of death and sees an opportunity to become immortal through the power of our creators. He has a humanoid robot that joins the expedition – wonderfully played by Michael Fassbender – who turns out to have a hidden agenda connected to the old man’s wish for eternal life. Very soon, they reach the destination moon and find a facility that houses traces of two different species. While struggling to explore and understand the facility and the creatures, tension developes between people with different interests, and between humans and their robot. And people start dying.

In a typical Alien-way genes are mixed and various creatures are both threats and opportunities for the poor humans. Horror sequences meets a few amusing oneliners just like in the first film. However, the basic question is how we relate to our creator. That adds another dimension to the usual monster hunt, despite the fact that the emphasis definitely lies on the action scenes. The first Alien movie was relatively simple, and had a steadily escalating tension throughout the movie. Here it’s more uneven, and the second half of the movie is a bit fuzzy. Partly due to the underlying question about creation. Also, with the many layers of text, there is much that is not followed up. For example, there is a relationship between parent and child that is not developed, and Noomi Rapace’s faith works mostly as a comment without propelling the story. Then it’s very neat. Just once the props bothered me, and the scenery is beautiful. I miss claustrophobia from other movies, and the spaceship itself should have played a greater role. Rapace is not Sigourney Weaver, but puts the curiosity in the center and gives the character depth. In the end, my high expectations were met, though not much more.